The day before
by Flash.scorpion
Summary: One-Shot. Takes place before Scorpio. Sam has just left the Army. Angst, kind of. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic, so give it a shot. Thanks!


Beep.  
Beep.  
Beep.  
Bee-

The alarm clock went flying to the floor, as Sam tried to find the button to shut it up. "Great, it's broken. It looks like another amazing day has just started." Sam thought ironically. Today he was meeting the General at 0730. He had to sign the last of his release papers. He was finally leaving the army.

Wandering around the house, he started to think of what jobs he could apply to. As a former JTF, personal security or police would be the normal choice

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

 **Kandahar – June 2005**

\- Hey Matt! Are you done? – Asked Sam with a smile.

\- Yeah, just need to wash my face and put my boots on. I'll be ready in five.

That day they were receiving the new recruits for JTF, and one of them would be assigned to their unit. Both Sam and Matt were happy, because this meant they would get to stay a couple of weeks at the base just training, getting their deserved rest time and getting to know the rookie.

His name was Josh, but as soon as he came down from the plane, Winds decided his codename would be Moose. He said it fit him. Usually, the whole unit got to choose their rookie's codename, but everyone let Winds choose it this time because they found it hilarious.

Later that afternoon, Sam volunteered to show Moose around, and as they were walking to the shooting range, Moose mentioned his brother. He used to work with Montreal's SRU, and Moose told Sam that's where he would have gone it he had had a chance. After his brother's death in hands of a terrorist bomb, Moose decided he would help take down as many terrorist cells as he could, for his brother. Sam saw that talking about his brother helped Moose deal with his death, so he decided he could ask about the SRU. It was the first time he had heard about it, and wanted to know more. After an afternoon talking to Moose, he decided he liked the SRU, but it probably wasn't for him. He was a sniper, and not good with words.

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"SRU, that's it. I'll try that." Thought Sam, happy that he had found a place he could work at. "0645. Time to get going." Sam jumped into his rented SUV and headed towards the base. He would finally be free from the army.

FP_FP_FP_FP

Half an hour later, he arrived at the General's office, and had to wait for another 15 minutes until his father received him.

\- Master Corporal Braddock, you may come in. – An officer said walking into the room Sam was in.

\- Thank you, Sir. - Said Sam flatly

The General had a sad look on his eyes when Sam entered his office, but it quickly turned into a commanding stare when he saw Sam standing at attention.

\- At ease - he said – I have the papers you asked for last week signed right here. It is useless for me to try and talk you out of this one, isn't it son?

\- Yes Sir, I already made my decision – "It was a hard one but the right one to make" Sam thought. He couldn't stand it there anymore. Too many memories, too many accusing glares.

\- I have found something for you – The General said with a fatherly look – Commander Holleran told me he's got a place for you in SRU's Team One with the best officers, if you want to take it.

"Of course I want it!" thought Sam immediately, but he suddenly realized he had to go through all of it again. People thinking you were in JTF2 thanks to your father's connections is one thing, but people knowing for sure you have the places thanks to the General's friends was a completely different thing. Could he go through all of it again? Would he stand it?

William saw his son's thoughts, doubt and excitement, displayed on his eyes. "What can I do for him to accept it? It's a great opportunity for him." his thoughts were interrupted when he heard Sam talk.

\- I'll take it, Sir. Thanks for the opportunity.

Sam saw a small smile in his father's face, just before the 'General mode' slipped in.

After being dismissed, Sam knew where he needed to go. He would visit Matt and tell him the news.

FP_FP_FP_FP

-Hey Mattie. I've done it. I'm out of the Army for good now. I know you would've wanted me to stay. But I couldn't. I couldn't be there without you. I couldn't be there seeing the guilt in the unit guys' eyes. They thought I was responsible. Hell, I AM responsible! I am responsible for killing you Matt. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Mattie. It should have been me the one on that side of the scope. I deserved it! But not you. You were just beginning to be happy. You should have let me kill myself that night, that way you would still be alive. Gosh, I'm a killer. I'm no better than those terrorists we took out back there. I killed you Matt. I killed you in cold blood, and for that I'll always be sorry. I'm so sorry Mattie, I'm so sorry.

Sam woke up half an hour later, drenched in sweat. Every night, every time he closed his eyes he was back there. He was bunkered down in that warehouse, holding his .50 cal. Shooting the same bullet, that hit the same person over and over again. But in his sleep he could actually see who he was hitting. He saw Matt smiling and turning around just to find a bullet, which had found its place in his head. For a long 15 minutes, Sam watched how the bullet travelled those two kilometers that separated them, without being to change its path, until Matt, his best friend, lay down on the floor. And, every night, he wasn't able to wake up until he found him. Until he saw Matt's body, the only one who understood him, the one who made him want to live again, to find the beauty of life, laying on the ground, until all his life drenched from his body.

He finished telling Matt about his reunion with his father, how he had, just for a moment, seen compassion and love in the General's eyes. Just as if he cared for Sam and what happened to him. After telling Matt about the SRU, Sam left heading towards his apartment.

FP_FP_FP_FP

 **The following day** :

As Sam walked into the SRU HQ, he saw a woman behind the front desk. "Pretty" he thought, "but definitely not my type"

\- Good morning, Sir. Can I help you?

\- My name is Sam Braddock. I was told to report here. I was looking for Sergeant Parker and Team One.- Sam said, with a WOW smile on his face. He couldn't wait to start working with the SRU. Here her could really make a difference.

\- They are on a call right now. You can wait here.- She answered, pointing at a conference room.

"This is the perfect chance to see them in action" Sam thought. He politely excused himself, after taking an unnoticed look at the dispatcher's computers, and headed off to First York Plaza, where his new team was working.

 _[Chapter 1x01: Scorpio]_


End file.
